DeLand, Fla. -- The Stetson University baseball team learned Monday afternoon that it will be the no. 4 seed at the NCAA Atlanta Regional and will play host and top-seed Georgia Tech at 7:00 p.m. Friday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The 2006 champions of the Atlantic Sun Conference, Stetson (38-22) will be making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last seven years, and its 15th postseason appearance in school history. The Hatters will face the Yellow Jackets (45-16), the no. 8 national seed and the fourth-ranked team in the nation, in the opening round.
“I like our ballclub, I think we are playing really well right now,” Stetson coach Pete Dunn said. “But as well as we played last week to win the conference championship, we have to play even better to win the regional. In order to put a higher stamp on this program we have got to win a regional.”
Also in the Atlanta Regional is no. 2 seed Vanderbilt (36-25) of the SEC and no. 3 seed Michigan (42-19), champions of the Big Ten Conference. The Commodores and Wolverines will play Friday at 3 p.m. to start the double-elimination regional.
Stetson will be making its third NCAA Regional trip to Atlanta since 2000. The Hatters advanced to the regional finals in each of their previous trips in 2000 and 2003, including a 5-4 first-round upset over Georgia Tech in 2003.
“I think it is a plus that we have guys on this year's team who were in the same situation in 2003," Dunn said. “Even the guys that weren't there understand that it's going to be the same opponent, the same ballpark, and the same environment where we got it done before. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to downplay the abilities of Georgia Tech, it is certainly going to be a challenge, but I don't think it is going to be anything we are overwhelmed with.”
For ticket information, call the Georgia Tech Ticket Office at 1-888-TECH-TIX or visit the Georgia Tech website at www.ramblinwreck.com.
Bracket
Notes: Dunn announced that the team has lifted the suspension of pitcher Chris Ingoglia. The Hatter junior will be eligible to participate this weekend ... Former Stetson assistant Derek Johnson is currently an assistant at Vanderbilt.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (All Times Eastern)
Subject to Change by Television
Friday, June 2
Game 2, No. 2 seed Vanderbilt vs. No. 3 seed Michigan, 3 p.m.
Game 1, No. 1 seed Georgia Tech vs. No. 4 seed Stetson, 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 3
Game 3, Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 4, Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game, 5 p.m.
Sunday, June 4
Game 5, Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 1 p.m.
Game 6, Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 (first possible championship
game), 5 p.m.
Monday, June 5 (If necessary)
Game 7, Same teams, if necessary, 3 p.m.
TICKETS
Tournament Books, Reserved Chairback Seat, $84
Tournament Books, Reserved Bench Seat, $70
Tournament Books, General Admission, $56
Single Game, Reserved Chairback Seat, $12
Single Game, Reserved Bench Seat, $10
Single Game, General Admission, $8
Single Game, Student General Admission, $6
